Services

George is the star of royal tour

All eyes were on Prince George when the royal baby arrived in New Zealand with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for their tour Down Under.

William and Kate's son looked bright, happy and content as he was carried off a Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) plane in Wellington by his mother and began his life as a working royal.

The baby prince faced the world's media for only the second time in his short life - the first occasion was when William and Kate proudly showed off their day-old son outside the London hospital where he was born.

George is only eight months old but he travelled with his parents on a scheduled Qantas flight from Heathrow Airport, via Dubai, to Sydney where they transferred to the military plane.

The Cambridges appeared in outfits that each took a coloured theme of red, white or blue - with the Duchess in an eye-catching scarlet coat by designer Catherine Walker and a matching hat by Gina Foster, the Duke looked stylish in a dark blue suit and George wad dressed in a cream cardigan over a white top and shorts.

Grey misty clouds and drizzle greeted the royal visitors as they arrived at Wellington International Airport but the eight-month-old prince seemed oblivious to the cold conditions and waved his arms and legs.

The royal visit has been greeted with some controversy after parents in New Zealand raised concerns online about the arrangements for the car seat chosen for George by the royal couple.

Plunket, New Zealand's national childcare advisory agency, published photos of a Maxi-Cosi baby seat fitted to the official car which will carry George facing forward - but many people said it was going against its own recommendations that a child of George's age should face the rear window.

Prime Minister John Key was waiting on the tarmac to greet the royal couple but they received the full splendour of a traditional Maori welcome at nearby Government House, the official resident of the Governor General Sir Jerry Mateparae.

Prince William was the first to perform a hongi - a traditional Maori greeting where noses are pressed together and a breath is symbolically exchanged - with two Maori elders and cultural adviser Lewis Moeau and Hiria Hape.

Kate, who does not have her husband's experience of the traditional greeting, smiled broadly as she followed suit.

On the windswept and rain soaked lawn of the historic building a group of around 35 semi-naked Maoris performed a ceremonial challenge called the wero to determine whether the visitors were friends or foe.

Three male toa, or warriors, armed with spears advanced on the royal couple and uttered war cries leaving Kate looking a little startled.

They performed an intricate and intimidating series of martial arts moves. before one offered William, 31, a rakau tapu or dart.

The Duke crouched down to pick it up, all the while keeping eye contact with the warrior.

Kate and William were then officially cleared as "friends" and welcomed onto the main grass area.

She later shook hands with one warrior who wore a thong exposing his heavily tattooed bottom and told him she thought the traditional greeting was "super".

There was also close attention on George's nanny, Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, who was seen officially for the first time as she left the rear of the plane, via steps, with other members of the royal entourage.

Wearing a dark jacket, white blouse and grey skirt, she stayed well back from the greetings the couple received on the tarmac.

Ms Turrion Borrallo will be looking after George during the 19-day tour that will see the Cambridges travel across New Zealand and Australia celebrating the people, culture and institutions of the Commonwealth countries.

William and Kate will be staying in the Wellington area but will not carry out any engagements tomorrow.

On Wednesday, they will be joined by George at an event attended by nurses, parents and young children from the Plunket parents' group.

At Government House, the baby prince, who is third in line to the throne, is expected to crawl around with a group of similar aged children - six girls and four boys - while the Duke and Duchess chat to their parents who are from a range of backgrounds including a couple of gay fathers.

Ipsoregulated

This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Editors' Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then please contact the editor here. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can contact IPSO here